Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for today's later Premier League kickoff as
Manchester City host Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium!
The runaway league leaders are bidding to take another step towards the title this afternoon, but they come up against a Leicester side eager to get back to winning ways and perhaps eager for revenge after Man City turned the head of star player Riyad Mahrez during the January transfer window.
We will take a closer look at that saga and both clubs in a short while, but first - does the Algerian make it into the starting lineup here...?
MAN CITY STARTING XI: Ederson; Walker, Laporte, Otamendi, Zinchenko; Fernandinho, Gündogan, De Bruyne; Sterling, Bernardo, Aguero
MAN CITY SUBS: Bravo, Danilo, Kompany, Stones, Nmecha, Foden, Diaz
LEICESTER STARTING XI: Schmeichel; Fuchs, Maguire, Dragovic, Chilwell; Silva, Ndidi, James, Albrighton, Diabate; Vardy
LEICESTER SUBS: Jakupovic, Simpson, Benalouane, Iborra, Gray, Mahrez, Iheanacho
Well, the answer to the Riyad Mahrez question is no, but he does make the bench for Leicester this afternoon.
I will talk about that a little later, but let's start by looking at the home side's team news, and the headline on that front is that record signing Aymeric Laporte returns to the starting lineup after sitting out against Burnley last weekend. Laporte returns at the heart of the defence alongside Otamendi, with Kompany missing out and Stones also having to make do with a place on the bench following a recent knee injury.
Most eyes will be on the Manchester City attack this afternoon, though, and
Sergio Aguero once again leads the line for the hosts as he looks to keep up his impressive recent scoring record here at the Etihad.
The Argentine has found the back of the net 10 times in his past six outings here across all competitions, and another goal this afternoon would see him score in seven consecutive home games for the first time in his glittering Man City career.
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Aguero has only scored once in four previous games against Leicester, though, so he may need those around him to help out with the goalscoring burden for Man City this afternoon.
Fortunately for him, there will be no shortage of players able to step. The continued absence of Leroy Sane and David Silva means that Bernardo keeps his place in the front three alongside Raheem Sterling, who despite his incredible miss against Burnley last weekend, has been in sensational form this season.
That trio will have all the service they need from creator extraordinaire Kevin De Bruyne, who joins Fernandinho and Ilkay Gundogan in the midfield three once again this afternoon.
Indeed, there are only two changes from the draw with Burnley last weekend as Kompany and goalscorer Danilo make way to be replaced by Laporte and Zinchenko.
As for Leicester, all eyes will be on the bench at first to see Riyad Mahrez back in the matchday squad, having missed the last two games after seeing his proposed deadline day move to Manchester City break down.
Mahrez was desperate to join today's opponents and was reportedly furious with Leicester for demanding a deal worth £95m, which forced City to pull out. Mahrez subsequently went AWOL from training - if reports are to be believed - but he returned on Friday and is straight back into the matchday squad today.
He certainly didn't look too unhappy when arriving for the game earlier today...
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Mahrez is a good enough player and a popular enough player to quickly reintegrate himself into the Leicester team, but it is
Jamie Vardy who may hold the main key to an upset this afternoon if he recent record in big games is anything to go by.
The England international has scored more goals against top-six clubs than any other player since his Premier League debut in August 2014, netting 22 times in 42 such appearances.
Vardy has also scored in three successive Premier League games ahead of this match, which is his joint-longest streak since that incredible run of scoring in 11 games on the bounce between August and November 2015 - the longest such run in Premier League history.
Vardy has three previous goals against Man City too, but they all came in the same game as he netted a hat-trick in a 4-2 win in December 2016.
Leicester have made two changes from the side which drew with Swansea last time out, although quite how they will line up today looks to still be up in the air.
The Foxes have named two left-sided defenders in Chilwell and Fuchs, and one of those could fill in for Simpson on the right, or Albrighton could potentially play there with Chilwell in left midfield. James is the other man to come in, replacing former Man City striker Kelechi Iheanacho in the side.
The hosts will come into this match as clear favourites to come away with all three points, as they do every game they go into at the moment, but
Pep Guardiola has consistently stressed the importance of avoiding complacency throughout this season.
City have begun to drop points on a more regular basis in recent weeks - although still at a lesser rate than almost every other team in the league - and were held to a 1-1 draw against Burnley last time out despite dominating the game from start to finish.
Raheem Sterling's inconceivable miss was largely to blame for the failure to get all three points from that match, but any criticisms of City this season need to be kept in context as their form throughout the campaign so far has been unlike anything we have seen before.
Indeed, City's tally of 69 points is the most after 26 games of a top-flight league season in English football history, and is already a whopping 17 points better off than they were at the same stage of last season.
City don't really have any challengers this season, but the nearest to them are Manchester United, who do not play until tomorrow when they will take on Newcastle United.
That means that victory for City this afternoon would see them move 16 points clear, which is a very healthy lead going into a period where other cup competitions will take centre stage. Indeed, this is Man City's final Premier League game until March 1.
While the Premier League title seems sewn up already, City's hopes of achieving the quadruple - an "impossible" dream according to Guardiola - rely on the next few weeks.
After today's match they will take on Basel in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, before playing Wigan in the fifth round of the FA Cup. After that is the EFL Cup final against Arsenal - a chance for Man City to get that first trophy under Guardiola - before they finally return to league action - against Arsenal again - on March 1.
The big matches do not end there for Man City, though, as Chelsea are next up after the Gunners before the second leg of their Champions League tie.
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It is a pivotal period of the season for City, then, but they couldn't go into it in much better form having lost just one of their last 16 outings across all competitions and winning 38 of their last 43 stretching back to last season.
In the Premier League alone City have lost just one of their last 38 games, winning 28 of those in a run which extends back to April 2017. Guardiola's side have not been beaten by a team outside the top five since January 2017 either, which gives an idea as to the magnitude of Leicester's challenge here.
For all of the impressive statistics that Man City have racked up so far this season, perhaps the most impressive is their record here at the Etihad Stadium, where they have won a staggering 18 consecutive games across all competitions.
Everton were the last visiting team to avoid defeat here back in August, and you have to go all the way back to December 2016 - 34 matches ago - for their last loss on home soil.
That run includes 25 Premier League home games unbeaten - just the 14th streak of 25 or more games in Premier League history and the longest since Chelsea's run of 26 came to an end in April 2014.
City have done it in style too, scoring three or more goals in 10 of their ongoing 12-match winning streak, including each of their last five. Another three-goal haul or better this afternoon would equal a club record last achieved in December 2013.
It is a daunting prospect to visit the Etihad Stadium for any club here, but Leicester will have more reasons than most to feel confident heading into this match having been something of a bogey team for City at this ground in past years.
However, Leicester's record away to the big teams has grown worse in recent years, and you have to go back to their 3-1 win at this very ground in February 2016 for their most recent victory away to top-six opposition. Since then, they have drawn four and lost nine of their 13 such matches, picking up only four points from a possible 39.
The Foxes have also lost their last nine Premier League fixtures against teams that started the day top of the league, conceding 20 goals in those matches while scoring only three.
Of course, Leicester were top of the table themselves not too long ago, and their remarkable 2015-16 title success will live long in the memory, but they are certainly bigger underdogs going into these matches now than they were during that incredible run.
That title triumph did enable Leicester to bring in players they otherwise wouldn't have been able to attract to the club, though, and in turn they have been able to keep themselves at arm's length of relegation trouble this season.
Most of the bottom half will consider themselves in trouble, but Leicester began the day with a 12-point gap to the bottom three and have surely done enough to ensure that they will be safe now. The Foxes' main battle for the remainder of the season may be for seventh place, with Burnley just a point better off than them.
Whether or not the relative lack of anything to fight for will result in a drop-off of performances towards the latter stages of the season remains to be seen, but Leicester fans will certainly be happier with where they are now than at the same stage of last season, when they were 11 points and seven places worse off, sitting only two points clear of the relegation zone.
The Foxes have generally seen a big upturn in form since Claude Puel took over at the club, and in 2018 so far they have lost just one of their eight matches across all competitions in 2018.
Leicester were unbeaten in six before a recent loss to Everton, and they followed that up with a disappointing draw against Swansea last time out, meaning they come into this game having failed to win during Mahrez's absence.
Looking further back than the start of the year too, Leicester have won just two of their last nine Premier League outings - against Huddersfield and Watford - while losing four in that time.
The biggest concern for Leicester heading into this match will be their away form, with their only win on the road since Christmas coming against League One side Peterborough in the FA Cup last month.
Puel's side have lost three times and drawn twice on the road in that time, while in the Premier League alone they have taken only one point from the last 12 on offer away from home.
In fairness to Leicester, they have had some difficult matches in that run, facing trips to Watford, Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton in their last four away games, although it only gets harder this afternoon so that will not be too encouraging for the Foxes here.
Leicester have also only kept two away clean sheets all season as they prepare to come up against the league's highest home scorers, although one of those clean sheets did come against Chelsea last month.
PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at the Etihad Stadium, which means that it is time for a prediction!
It is hard to see anything other than a Man City win here in truth. Leicester have the players to put up a fight for sure, but you simply cannot back against Man city when they are in such good form, particularly at home. It may be a fairly comfortable one for Guardiola's side too.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Man City 3-0 Leicester
I mentioned earlier that Leicester have a good previous record here at the Etihad, and in fact they have the best win ratio of any club here in the Premier League era.
The Foxes have won four of their six previous Premier League away games against Man City, with only Tottenham able to match that win tally down the years.
However, Leicester have also only won two of their last 14 competitive meetings between the two sides home and away, with both of those coming in 2016.
Indeed, defeat this afternoon would see them fall to three successive league losses at the hands of Manchester City for the first time since 1961.
These two sides have already met twice this season, with Man City winning the reverse league fixture 2-0 courtesy of goals from Jesus and De Bruyne in November, before needing penalties to beat them in the EFL Cup semi-finals a month later.
Vardy and Bernardo scored in normal time in that match, but none of the players who scored on Leicester most recent visit to the Etihad - when they lost 2-1 - will feature this afternoon.
Right, the players are out and we're almost ready to get going for today's late kickoff! A quick reminder of the team news before we do get started...
MAN CITY STARTING XI: Ederson; Walker, Laporte, Otamendi, Zinchenko; Fernandinho, Gündogan, De Bruyne; Sterling, Bernardo, Aguero
LEICESTER STARTING XI: Schmeichel; Fuchs, Maguire, Dragovic, Chilwell; Silva, Ndidi, James, Albrighton, Diabate; Vardy
KICKOFF: Here we go then! Man City get us underway for this one!
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Leicester (Raheem Sterling)
What a start for Manchester City, and an element of redemption for Raheem Sterling!
He missed a seemingly unmissable chance last weekend, but he makes no such mistake this time around. The ball from De Bruyne is typically brilliant, bending an inch-perfect delivery into the far post which Aguero just misses but Sterling is there to tuck home from all of two yards out.
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This could be a long afternoon for Leicester if it carries on like this! Man City have dominated the early possession as expected, but already Leicester's plan A will be out the window. It is a nightmare start for
Claude Puel's side.
Benjamin Mendy liked that delicious assist from De Bruyne...
Almost another chance for City as Walker throws the ball into the box which Aguero rises highest to almost meet. However, he seems to mistime his header and bit and completely misses the ball.
City have been high scorers for a while now, but not with English players doing the business as Sterling has done so far...
Leicester have responded quite well to that early goal here. They have not collapsed or allowed Man City to build any more momentum, which is about the best they could have hoped for having lost the opening goal so early.
Here is that early goal - and that De Bruyne pass - for your viewing pleasure...
Aguero tries to dance his way through a number of Leicester defenders and almost smuggles his way past them too, but eventually the ball is played against his legs and runs through to Schmeichel.
Sterling shows incredible pace to keep the ball in on the byline when a number of Leicester defenders had given up on it, but Schmeichel is alert and cuts out the resulting low cross.
City have dominated possession and territory in the opening 20 minutes here, but Leicester have so far denied them any further goalscoring opportunities. As Burnley showed last week, if you can stay within one goal of this Man City team, there is always still hope.
Man City come flooding forward again here and the ball breaks to Aguero in space down the left channel. Leicester's defence are quick to get back, though, and the Argentine can make nothing of it.
Aguero this time tries to get on the end of a floated pass over the top, but he can't do anything with it other than send a looping header bouncing into the arms of the keeper.
Better from Leicester as they make their first meaningful foray forward midway through the half. In the end they only come away with a corner, but it is at least a moment of encouragement for the visitors.
GOAL! Man City 1-1 Leicester (Jamie Vardy)
Out of nothing, Leicester are level!
Man City immediately broke from the resulting corner and it took a well-time challenge from Fuchs to thwart Aguero inside the Leicester area. The counter the counter, though, and Vardy finds himself up against Laporte one on one. The striker shifts the ball onto his right foot and then fires a clinical finish into the bottom corner!
Game on!
Leicester are likely to have only a handful of chances in this match, but that may be enough for them. Man City's high line should suit Vardy and he will fancy his chances of getting another opening today having now scored for a fourth game in succession.
CHANCE! Bernardo twists and turns on his way to the byline and just avoids a rash challenge from Fuchs inside the box too. He tries to lift his finish over the keeper from an impossible angle, but Schmeichel gets his hand to the ball to push it away.
SAVE! Another save for Schmeichel to make here as he comfortably collects Fernandinho's deflected drive from the edge of the area.
Leicester have responded so well to going behind early on here. They did not let their heads drop and, while they continue to surrender the lion's share of possession, they are very much in this game right now.
Here is that Jamie Vardy equaliser...
CHANCE! Smart save from Schmeichel as he gets down well at his near post to turn a powerful De Bruyne round behind for a corner. The Belgian just tried to sneak that in there.
Diabate tries to release Vardy over the top, but he puts too much on it. Ederson is alert to those balls over the defence, but if Leicester get it right then it could unlock Man City.
De Bruyne has another chance to put the ball in the box from a deep free kick, but his wicked delivery is collected well by Schmeichel after Aguero had just failed to get a touch on it.
Good , positive play from Diabate as he picks up a loose pass inside the Man City half before driving towards the edge of the box. He tries to exchange passes with Vardy, but the return ball does not find him.
Another promising attack from Leicester sees Vardy release Chilwell down the left flank, but Walker has the pace to get back in and force the full-back wide.
CHANCE! Brilliant block from Dragovic to deny Man City and Sterling a second goal! Again De Bruyne is the creator as he pokes the ball through for Sterling, who has the pace to beat Schmeichel to the ball and take it around the keeper. Sterling pokes it towards goal from a tight angle, but Dragovic slides in to knock the ball behind for a corner.
Ndidi hauls Walker to ground on the right flank and Man City will now have another chance to get the ball in the box from De Bruyne, just before half time...
For once De Bruyne's delivery is easy to deal with, though, and a second cross which arrives moments later is claimed by Schmeichel.
There will be a minimum of one minute added time at the end of this first half as Gundogan fires an effort into the arms of Schmeichel.
HALF TIME: Manchester City 1-1 Leicester City
Cracking stat this one. Jamie Vardy loves it against the biggest teams in the league...
The first half comes to an end at the Etihad Stadium and we're still all square between Manchester City and Leicester City following an opening 45 minutes which was a lot more even than many would have expected.
The hosts have dominated possession and territory, but clear chances haven't been as regular as they would have hoped and Leicester have more than held their own so far.
Leicester's performance in that first half is made all the more impressive by the fact that they fell behind after only three minutes as Raheem Sterling banished the memories of last weekend's costly miss by tucking away another sitter in the opening exchanges.
The goal was all down to a magnificent cross into the box from De Bruyne, though, as his curling delivery left both the defence and the goalkeeper helpless to set the ball up on a plate for Sterling.
Leicester did not let their heads drop after that early setback, though, and they levelled things up midway through the first half through Jamie Vardy.
A misplaced pass from Otamendi gifted possession to the striker, who skipped away from Gundogan before working a yard on Laporte and firing his finish into the bottom corner. It was Leicester first sight of goal, but they took full advantage of it.
The game's other chances fell the way of Man City, but they have by no means had things all their own way in this match so far.
Schmeichel has been called upon to deny efforts from De Bruyne and Fernandinho, while Sterling was only denied a second by a last-ditch block from Dragovic after he had taken the ball around the Leicester keeper, although the visitors can expect plenty more questions to be asked of their defence in the coming 45 minutes.
KICKOFF: Leicester get us back underway for the second half at the Etihad Stadium, and the visitors have made a change at the break with Danny Simpson replacing Silva for his 200th Premier League appearance.
GOAL! Man City 2-1 Leicester (Sergio Aguero)
Man City made a lightning start to the first half, and they have done the same again at the start of the second here!
It is a similar goal in many ways as De Bruyne delivers a ball into the box which is impossible to defend, leaving the finisher with a simple tap-in. Schmeichel does actually get a hand to this finish from Aguero, but there was no way the Argentine was going to miss from there.
Sumptuous stuff from De Bruyne once again there.
Leicester responded really well to the early goal in the first half, and they have to do it all again now. Claude Puel will be so angry that they have conceded in the opening stages again.
Sterling goes down inside the area after contact from Albrighton inside the area, but the referee is right to say no penalty. City are keeping the pressure on the visitors this time, though.
GOAL! Man City 3-1 Leicester (Sergio Aguero)
Aguero may have taken this game beyond Leicester in the opening eight minutes of this second half!
The Foxes have the chance to clear the danger, but it comes straight back at them and it is no surprise to see De Bruyne do the damage again. He notches his third assist by threading a pass through to Aguero, who fires his finish past Schmeichel. The keeper again got plenty on it, but he could not keep it out.
Leicester just need to weather this storm. Man City have been on the front foot from the word go in this second half, and they look entirely capable of adding to their advantage right now.
Here is Man City's second goal, and Aguero's first...
Schmeichel again plays his side into trouble by trying to work it out from the back, with Sterling quickly leading another Man City charge. He cuts the ball back to Gundogan, but his strike is blocked and loops up and over for a corner.
CHANCE! The resulting corner from De Bruyne picks out Otamendi, but his looping header drops just wide of the far post.
Sterling and Aguero may have got the goals so far this evening, but De Bruyne has been the architect of it all.
LEICESTER SUBS: Big moment for Leicester here as they welcome Riyad Mahrez back to the fold as part of a double change. Kelechi Iheanacho also comes on to a big cheer, with Chilwell and Diabata making way.
MAN CITY SUB: Man City make their first change of the afternoon as Danilo replaces Zinchenko.
Concern for Man City here as Aguero goes down and stays down. The Argentine is tough and looks like he will try to play on, but he is in a bit of pain here.
Aguero is back on with his hand bandaged up here, having seen it trod on by a Leicester defender. Man City are in complete control of this one at the moment.
CLOSE! Bernardo Silva almost gets in on the act as he drives towards the edge of the box before ducking inside and curling an effort just over the crossbar with Schmeichel beaten.
YELLOW CARD! Ndidi is the first name in the book this evening for a challenge on Gundogan.
YELLOW CARD! Gundogan quickly follows Ndidi into the book himself for a cynical challenge on Mahrez.
Leicester clip the resulting free kick towards the back post for Maguire to chase, but his eventual effort is hugely optimistic and never troubling Ederson.
SAVE! Half a chance for Man City to add a fourth as Otamendi collects it at the back post and goes for goal with a volley, but it is easy for Schmeichel.
GOAL! Man City 4-1 Leicester (Sergio Aguero, hat-trick)
Oh Schmeichel, what are you playing at here?! The Leicester man thinks he is Ederson and once again tries to play out from the back, but he gives the ball straight to Aguero.
Aguero does not need such simple gifts, but he isn't going to pass them up either and produces an exquisite chip over the hapless keeper for his hat-trick.
MAN CITY SUB: Change for the hosts here as the fit-again Phil Foden replaces Fernandinho.
MAN CITY SUB: A third and final change for the hosts now as John Stones replaces Otamendi for the last 10 minutes or so.
YELLOW CARDS! Laporte goes into the book alongside Jamie Vardy.
Leicester have the chance to get the ball into the box from a free kick, but for some reason Mahrez plays it short. That is a real waste to test this Man City defence.
YELLOW CARD! Harry Maguire goes into the book for a challenge on De Bruyne.
GOAL! Manchester City 5-1 Leicester (Sergio Aguero)
Phwoar! As if the hat-trick wasn't enough Aguero adds a fourth to his tally for the evening, and he saves the best until last too.
The Argentine picks the ball up just outside the area and smashes an unstoppable drive in off the underside of the bar. It was central, but the ferocity of the strike meant that Schmeichel had no chance!
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.
FULL TIME: Manchester City 5-1 Leicester City
That is what Man City can do to you unless you keep the intensity up for the full 90 minutes. At half time Leicester were very much in this game and had more than held their own against the champions-elect, but four second-half goals from Sergio Aguero took the match behind the Foxes in some style.
City had taken the lead through Sterling's early effort before Vardy levelled things up, but Aguero stole the show after the interval and Guardiola's side march on, now 16 points clear of Manchester United.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for this match as Manchester City blow Leicester away in the second half, with Sergio Aguero the star of the show with four goals. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now.
